When Christmas Comes to Town
by Anonamus-A
Summary: Emily hates Christmas, but needs to learn the true meaning if she every wants to be with the one she loves. Written for the Christmas Fic Exchange on Chit Chat on Author's Corner. Might be a some lang. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night! -A
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hello. This story is written for the Christmas Fic Exchange on Chit Chat on Author's Corner. So, merry Christmas, quintessentially! Hope you like it! -A (This fic is named after the song When Christmas Comes to Town from The Polar Express.)

(P.S. Ugh! This took forever to write. I'm such a procrastinator.)

Prompt: Your assigned pairing is: Prentiss/Reid

Your assigned song title prompt and 3 prompts are: Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer; Prompts: peppermint candies, hot chocolate, snowball fights

Chapter 1

_Christmas is the Disneyfication of Christianity_ -Don Cupitt

"_Have a holly, jolly Christmas. It's the best time of the year._

_I don't know if there'll be snow, but have a cup of cheer!_

_Have a holly, jolly Christmas, and in case you didn't hear._

_Oh by golly have a holly, jolly Christmas this ye-"_

Annoyed, she flipped off the radio. There was nothing worse than Christmas music. Actually, there was nothing worse than Christmas. No one wanted to hear it. Why did the radio stations all insist upon playing the stupid songs?

Emily was irritated as she pulled into the Bureau parking garage. She slammed the door after getting out of her car. It was freezing cold, so she huddled into her puffy coat as she made her way for the stairs. Warmth greeted her when she walked in.

The elevator held few people as it made it's way up, and for that she was thankful. Finally, it stopped on her floor and she was able to get to the warm BAU bullpen. She hung her coat over her chair and sat down.

"Hey, Emily," Reid said as he took a seat across from her. She smiled at him, hardly looking up. He sipped on his coffee. "Would you like a peppermint candy?" he asked.

"What?" He innocently held up a little red and white disk in a clear plastic wrapper. She'd forgotten that those were his favorites.

"Do you want one?" She sighed.

"What the hey?" she said with a shrug. Smiling, he tossed one over to her. As she popped it into her mouth, she thought about past Christmases with the team. Most of them loved Christmas, so she put of a fake smile as suffered in silence. Why should this year be any different?

_"Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer had a very shiny nose!_

_And if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows!_

_All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names._

_They never let poor Rudolph play in any reindeer games!_

_Then one foggy Christmas Eve, Santa came to say,_

_'Rudolph, with your nose so bright,_

_won't you guide my sleigh tonight?'_

_Then all the reindeer loved him, as they shouted out with glee,_

_'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,_

_you'll go down in history!" _

All heads snapped up to look at Reid. He was turning rather red himself as he fumbled around with his phone, trying to answer it. Whoever it was didn't talk long as he put it back down a couple moments later.

"Care to explain what that was?" Morgan asked, amused. His face turned red again.

"Oh, it's a ringtone-"

_"Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer had a very shiny n-_"

He didn't even answer that time, just hit ignore. Three more times it went off before she couldn't take it anymore.

"Damn it, Reid! Shut that thing off!" They all looked at her, alarmed.

"What-"

"No one wants to hear freaking Christmas music eighty times a day!"

"But-"

"No! Okay? No. I hate Christmas music... no. No, I hate Christmas, period!" With that, she stormed out. Reid looked close to tears at her sudden rage at him.

"But Garcia changed it and I don't know how to fix it..."

CM

Emily stormed out into the cold. God, Reid could be so annoying! She knew that her anger was irrational, but that didn't matter. She couldn't help the resentment that coursed through her.

Then she thought about the look he gave her. The look that screamed 'kicked puppy.' And, just like that, the anger melted like snow in the spring. She hadn't meant to hurt his feelings like that. After all, Reid will be Reid.

Emily sighed. She really needed to apologize. But, as she turned to go back in, she was greeted by an odd looking woman. This woman, bedecked in all sorts of odd jewelry, glared at her.

"Can I help you?" Emily asked. When the woman spoke, her voice all misty and raspy. Vaguely, Emily wondered if she had a bad cold.

"Your childish hatred of Christmas has caused you to lash out and hurt a dear friend."

"How do you-"

"Emily," the woman said, cutting her off, "if you don't change, you will lose all of your friends. You will forever be alone on Christmas. In your past, Christmas has been forgotten, blurred in time and sadness. You must let that go. Only through the one you love will you find the true meaning of Christmas, and only when that happens will you find true happiness."

"How do you know all of that about me?" Emily exclaimed. "Who are you?" Tires squealed behind her, causing her to avert her attention. When she looked back, the woman was gone. There were no footprints in the snow, no trace she'd ever stood there. She simply disappeared.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_A discovery is said to be an accident meeting a prepared mind._ -Albert Szent-Gyorgyi

Emily stared around in wonder, looking desperately for the strange woman. Oddly, the longer she looked, the more the image slipped from her mind. Sighing, she gave up when she realized that the memory of the lady's appearance was completely lost. Anyway, she had to go find Reid, to apologize for her inappropriate outburst.

When she returned to the bullpen, all heads turned in her direction. All except for Reid's because he was busy half way hiding behind a file. Emily sighed as she crossed over to his desk.

"Reid?" He looked up, his eyes were big, round spheres. They were still held the beaten puppy look, but more cautious than betrayed. "Hey," she said softly, "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I'm just in a bad mood today. I know, that's not an excuse. I'm really sorry." He bit his lip, clearly choosing his words carefully.

"It's okay. I forgive you... did you mean it?"

"What?"

"You said that you hated Christmas. Did you mean it?" She sighed.

"Yeah. I meant it."

CM

_Knock, knock, knock! _Confused, Emily ran to the door. She hadn't been expecting anyone, and it was almost ten. Who could be at her door?

As it turned out, Emily's mother was at the door. Still confused, she opened the door to let her the older woman in.

"Mom, what are you doing here?" Ambassador Prentiss chuckled as she walked in.

"It's almost Christmas, I was in town... Thought I'd drop by." Emily suppressed an irritated sigh. Her mother knew her dislike of Christmas. "I even brought you a little present."

"Sorry, I didn't get you anything," Emily said dryly.

"That's quite alright, dear," her mother chuckled as she pressed a small box into her daughter's hands. Emily simply stared at it. "Well. Open it!" She sighed, but did as she was told. Inside was a pair of earrings. They were small, oddly shaped pearls. Confused, she looked closer. That's when she realized that they were shaped like little snowmen.

"Thanks, Mom," she muttered lamely.

CM

She'd managed to get her mother to leave without too much effort. Honestly, Emily was glad when she was gone. She didn't know how much time passed, but eventually, she fell asleep on the couch.

When she opened her eyes again, she wasn't in her apartment. Yet, the room was very familiar. White walls with pale pink trim. Dolls on a flower-covered bed. This was her old room, from when she was a child.

There, sitting on the window seat, was a black haired child, watching the darkening sky with wonder. It was her as a six year old girl. Then, in the blink of an eye, the same child was standing next to her. But, she was also still staring out the window, seated on the window seat.

"What the-"

"What's wrong?" the little girl asked, looking up at her.

"There are two of you..."

"Yes, there are. Well, technically, there are three of you."

"What's going on?"

"I'm trying to help you. You need to learn what Christmas is about. I'm your memory of past Christmases."

"What, am I in A Christmas Carol now?" The girl gave her a blank stare. "Never mind." Then there was a squeak behind them as the door opened. All three Emily's spun around to see who was coming in. It was her... their... mother.

"Ready for bed, dear?" she asked. The Emily on the window seat nodded and ran over to give her mother a hug.

"Mommy, do you think Santa's gonna come?" Mrs. Prentiss stiffened. In that moment, it all came rushing back to Grown-Up Emily.

"Emily, how old are you?" Little Emily #1 (the one with Adult Emily was Little Emily #2) was confused.  
>"I'm six, Mommy."<p>

"Then you should realize that Santa isn't real." Mrs. Prentiss tried to sound gentle, but there was a brisk, firm tone in her voice.

"Yes he is!" Little Emily #2 wailed. "He brings presents to all the good children, every year!" Her mother sighed, but it sounded agitated.

"No. That's impossible, and it is illogical to believe so. Christmas was invented by the toy companies to sell toys. And, it's a waist of time."

"What about the birth of Baby Jesus?" A tear fell down the little girl's cheek.

"It has been proven that that didn't even happen in December. Now, go to bed." Then the scene froze. Little Emily #2 stepped forward.

"I think it's time to move on," she muttered, grabbing Adult Emily's hand.

"Where are we going?" she asked as the child pulled her forward, simply smiling at the question. Everything faded to black. The two Emily's walked in complete darkness for a while before light finally flooded around them.

They were in a school gym. Christmas decorations were strung all around. It took her a moment to realize where they were (thank in part to the young school children running past). It was the school Emily attended when she was in elementary school.

The young Emily glanced around. "Over there," she said, pointing to a group of girls. In the center was another Emily. She looked a little older than the other, who had been a carbon copy of the child next to her.

The older Little Emily #1 twirled causing the glitter on her dress to catch in the light. It was adorable, pure white and sprinkled with silver glitter.

Not far away was a young blond girl, clad in a pretty, emerald green dress. When she saw the glare to the older young Emily, and the pout on her face, she remembered her.

Next thing she knew, the blond girl stalked up to Little Emily #1 and poured her hot chocolate all down Emily's snow white dress. As Emily began to cry, the scene froze.

Still in shock at what she... well, remembered, she looked around for Little Emily #2, but was unable to find her. Then, an older woman walked toward her. She wasn't immediately recognizable.

"Oh, I'd forgotten how young and beautiful I used to be." She was speaking to Emily.

"Who are you?" she asked, though she had a pretty good idea.

"I'm your future." Emily... Younger Adult Emily tried not to dwell on that too much.

"Now I really feel like I'm in A Christmas Carol." Older Emily chuckled.

"Come, dear. Are you ready to see your future?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_I never think of the future - it comes soon enough._ -Albert Einstein

Emily was reluctant to follow. Did she really want to see her future? Older her turned around and raised an eyebrow.

"You don't have to come, but if you do, it will happen." She didn't know why, but this worried her. So, she caught up to the other (and older) her. Smiling, Older Emily turned on her heel and darkness surrounded them.

When the light returned, Emily found herself in the Bureau. JJ, Morgan, and an unfamiliar redhead were gathered around Reid's desk, their backs to her.

"Just curious, how old are you... we...?" Older Emily chuckled.

"It's been fifteen years from the present you know." Emily nodded. Then, there was a thump of files on a desk and all of her (now older) friends whipped around. The first thing she noticed was how good Spencer looked in the future. Then Emily saw the redhead's hand tight in his.

"Who's she?" she couldn't help but ask.

"Trudy, Spencer's wife of ten years." Emily's jaw dropped.

"He... he got married..." She nodded sadly. Emily suppressed the tears that threatened to fall.

"Hello, Prentiss," Morgan said politely, but it was too stiff for his usual personality. She just grunted in acknowledgement.

"Anyway," Trudy said in a high-pitched tone, "Kim is coming home, and she really wants you and Spence there."

"Kim? Spence?" Present-Day Emily asked.

"Their children." At this, a single tear fell from her eyes. Quickly, she wiped it away.

"You had so many chances," Older Emily said. "Five year's worth of them. You threw them all away because you couldn't move on. We lost him..." They returned her attention back to the scene in front of them.

Trudy kissed him on the lips, but she noticed that the other Older Emily glaring at her. Finally, the bouncy, redhead fluttered out. A few moments passed, and the crowd around Spencer drifted away. Slowly, he got up and crossed over to Emily's desk.  
>"What?" she snapped, not looking up from her files. He bit his lip.<p>

"Merry Christmas," he muttered quietly.

"Ba-humbug," she muttered. His face fell. Present-Day Emily now really felt like she was trapped in A Christmas Carol.

"I know you don't like Christmas, Emily, but I got you something anyway." Slowly, her head drifted up, like she hadn't heard those words in years.

"You... you got me a... present?" He nodded and sat a small box in front of her before walking away. She stared at it for a moment, then cautiously picked it up. After deciding it wasn't some sort of prank, she delicately pulled the wrapping off, then pulled the top off.

Inside was a small, heart-shaped locket. That was it. She bit her lip as she opened it. A small slip of paper rested inside, bedecked with Reid's tidy handwriting.

Emily, my heart has always been with you. And it still is.

That was all it said. But those twelve words turned her whole world upside-down. Tears started falling and the locket slipped from her hand. The walls she spent her life building broke in an instant.

"What do I have to do?"

"You have to let go. If not, you'll lose him... you'll lose all of them." Then, Emily sat upright with a jolt, finding herself back in her apartment. It was just a dream. But something told her it was right.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_You may never forget what is worth remembering, nor ever remember what is best forgotten._ -Author Unknown

It was nearly four in the morning. There was only one thing she wanted to do, but it was a horrible hour for doing so. She wanted to go to Reid's and get rid of the nagging feeling left behind from the dream. But it was simply to early. Instead, she decided to try to go back to sleep. Easier said than done.

Instead, she found herself thinking about what she'd seen in the dream. Every memory that resurfaced stuck in her mind, fresh as if they'd happened yesterday. How could her mother do that? Emily had been six! And the little girl, who's name she remembered to be Anna Black, was so spoiled and snooty and ruined Emily's beautiful dress. All of that soured Emily to Christmas.

Sighing, she rolled over in her bed and turned on the radio. Maybe music would help her sleep. Unfortunately, it was in the middle of a commercial. Finally, the woman announcing the songs came back on.

"Hey, everyone! Welcome back to Top Twenty Requests!" Inwardly, Emily groaned. This was some late night program where people requested a song, usually for someone they loved, but everyone fell asleep before their song came on. And, more often than not, the songs sucked.

"Number five on our countdown! This one goes out to Emily P. of D.C." Instantly, Emily bolted up. "Spencer says, 'Emily, I know you're upset, but I want you to know that you can talk to me, any time.' Aw! Hope you feel better, Emily." Then the song started.

_"I'm wishing on a star and trying to believe_  
><em>that even though it's far, he'll find me Christmas Eve.<em>  
><em>I guess that Santa's busy, 'cause he's never come around.<em>  
><em>I think of him when Christmas comes to town."<em>

Reid honestly chose a Christmas song to play for her? She kind of wanted to turn it off, but she'd never heard it, and was kind of curious.

_"The best time of the year when everyone comes home._  
><em>With all this Christmas cheer, it's hard to be alone.<em>  
><em>Putting up the Christmas tree with friends who come around.<em>  
><em>It's so much fun when Christmas comes to town."<em>

There was an instrumental break. Emily found herself lost in the words of this song. It was so sweet. The first verse seemed to be sung by a young boy, the other by a young girl. The words were so pretty. She waited, almost eagerly for the singing to resume.

"_Presents for the children, wrapped in red and green._  
><em>All the things I've heard about, but never really seen.<em>  
><em>No one will be sleeping on the night of Christmas Eve,<em>  
><em>hoping Santa's on his way!<em>

_"As Santa's sleigh bells ring, I listen all around._  
><em>The herald angels sing! I never hear a sound.<em>  
><em>And all the dreams of children, once lost will now be found.<em>  
><em>That's all I want when Christmas comes to town.<em>  
><em>That's all I want when Christmas comes... to town..."<em>

Tears started welling in her eyes. That song was so pretty. The boy had clearly had bad experiences with Christmas, not unlike herself. The girl was trying to make him see how wonderful Christmas is. Bit ironic, really.

"That was When Christmas Comes to Town, from the movie The Polar Express. Next on our countdown-" She didn't care, so she flipped off the radio. What motive did Reid have for requesting that song for her? Could he... could he have feelings for her?

Her mind instantly jumped to the dream. But that's all it was, right? A dream. A person can't see the future. But, suddenly, she wasn't too sure. Actually, there was only one thing she was sure about. She was sure she loved Reid and she didn't want to lose him.

A work of her subconscious or not, she wasn't going to run that risk. Tomorrow, she told herself. I'll tell him tomorrow.

CM

Tomorrow, it seemed, took forever to get there, but also came entirely too fast. All throughout the day, she cast glances at Spencer, wondering what was going on through that brilliant head of his. But they were never alone. She wasn't going to say what she needed to say with an audience. Finally, they were alone in the break area, waiting for the coffee to brew.

"Hey, Reid," she said, calling his attention.

"Yeah?" She bit her lip. Could she really just come out and say it...?

"I... I, uh, I... heard the song you requested for me." It was the first thing that came to her mind. But she soon after feared it was the wrong thing. Spencer blushed furiously, turning his head away. "I... I thought it was really sweet." His head snapped up, eyes wide.

"Really?" Smiling, Emily nodded. This made him smile too, but he was still red. "Thanks."

"Any time... hey, do... do you think I could come over some time after work?" His eyes widened even more. Instantly, she became as red as he'd been a second ago.

"What?"

"Well, I feel really bad about the other day, and it's been a while since we've really been able to sit down and talk... outside of here."

"Oh. Oh, right. Yeah, that sounds... yeah. I'd like that." By this point, the coffee was done. They both rushed to fill their mugs and return to their seats.

That hadn't gone quite as she'd planned, but it was certainly progress. She promised herself that she'd tell him tonight.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we're here for something else besides ourselves._ -Eric Sevareld

It was eight o'clock when Emily stopped in front of Spencer's door. She felt a bit sick and really nervous, but she pushed that aside. With a deep breath, she rapped three times on the door. A moment later, it opened. A smiling Spencer appeared in front of her.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hey." They stood there in silence for a moment. "Oh, um, why don't you come in?" Feeling a bit stupid, she obliged. He led her to the couch and they sat down side by side. Much to her surprise, the TV was on, quietly filling the silence. She stared at it. It was still on commercial break.

"What were you watching?" she asked, tired of the lack of talking.

"Nothing much." She looked at him, eyebrow raised. Spencer sighed. "_A Charlie Brown Christmas_, but it just ended." She smiled. It had been years since she'd seen that. Then, a very familiar song came on with the next show.

"_You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen._  
><em>Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen.<em>  
><em>But do you recall the most famous reindeer of them all?<em>  
><em>Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer<em>  
><em>had a very shiny nos-"<em>

The TV was suddenly turned off. She looked at Spencer who had fumbled for the remote. He looked a little sheepish.

"You didn't have to turn it off," she told him.

"I didn't want you to get upset." Emily sighed.

"I... I... Spencer, I'm sorry about that."

"It's okay," he assured her.

"No, it's not. I need to explain."

"Emily, really. It's your business." She smiled. He was so sweet. His warm eyes were so warm, she found herself lost in them. A slight blush crept on both of their faces as they stared into each other's eyes. Slowly, oh so slowly, they leaned towards each other. It was like they were giving the other time to pull away. Then, their lips met.

For a moment, there was nothing but each other. Then, as if they just then realized what happened, they pulled apart. Both of them were bright red. They were still mere inches apart

"I... I'm sorry," he stuttered, "that was way out of line."

"No, it wasn't," she assured him, pressing her lips to his again.

"You mean... you mean... I didn't think you saw me that way."

"I... yes, I do..." Neither knew what to say.

"Is that why you came here?" Spencer asked quietly.

"Partly. Spencer, I want you to help me."

"With what?" Emily took a breath before telling him what happened to make her detest Christmas. He listened intently, nodding and um-hming as she spoke.

"That's awful," he said when she was done.

"Can you tell me what Christmas was like for you when you were a kid?" He smiled, clearly remembering with striking detail.

"Honestly, Christmas didn't mean anything when my dad was there. He didn't really celebrate Christmas. Things got a little strained the closer it got. We put up a fake tree with some plastic ornaments. I got a few presents. End of story. But Mom loved Christmas. When he left, she taught me what Christmas was about.

"We made cookies and decorated the whole house. Mom read from the bible and sang carols. We watched all the Christmas specials on TV. The tree was always beautiful. And on Christmas Eve, we'd put out cookies and milk for Santa, even thought I knew he wasn't real. It actually meant something." Emily smiled. Once again, silence enveloped them. Neither knew what to say. But neither had to say anything. The other already knew.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

_The only way to find true happiness is to risk being completely cut open._ -Chuck Palahniuk

Throughout work the next day, the two kept stealing glances at one another. When they met eyes, both would blush and look away. This didn't go unnoticed by JJ, Garcia, and Morgan. If Rossi and Hotch noticed, they didn't show it, or didn't care.

"It's about time," Morgan muttered to the other two when they were in the break area.

"Oh, I can't believe they finally realized it!" Garcia was almost in hysterics.

"They make such a cute couple," JJ agreed. "I just hope they're good at keeping secrets." The others gave her odd looks.

"Why?" Morgan asked. She gave them a look that said 'are you that oblivious?'

"If Strauss finds out, they're toast." They couldn't disagree. If they started a romantic relationship and word got around to Erin Strauss, the team would be ripped apart. One or the other would have to transfer out, which would greatly affect the team.

"If ever there was a time for the saying 'tread carefully,'" Garcia muttered. Then, Reid walked over.

"Hey," he greeted cheerfully. The others eyes widened and they all stepped away from one another, which didn't go unnoticed by Spencer. "Should I be concerned?"

"NO!" Yeah, that wasn't obvious at all. He was_ completely_ reassured.

"Okaayyy," he said, picking up his newly refilled mug. "I'm gonna walk away now." Close call.

CM

Work was drawing to a close. Most of the others had already clocked out. Dave and Morgan among the first to go. JJ had to get home to Will and Henry. Hotch looked like he was going to be leaving soon, but was still shut away in his office. That left Reid and Emily. They smiled at each other, but didn't talk.

But the silence was almost infuriating. They knew how they felt about each other, and wanted to say something, but neither knew what to say. Finally, Spencer let out the idea he'd come up with, hoping it wouldn't make her rethink her opinion of him.

"Emily, I was thinking-"  
>"What a surprise," she said, smiling. He chuckled a little before continuing.<p>

"Well, I know you've never had a proper Christmas, and I haven't had anyone to celebrate it with for a while. And, since we're off this weekend-"

"Spencer, just spit it out." He smiled a little nervously.

"Okay. Well, um... why... why don't you spend Christmas with me?" Her eyes widened. She should have seen it coming, but she didn't. In fact, she was a little dumbfounded.

"What? You mean, for the whole weekend?" Now he looked really nervous.

"Well, that was the idea- I mean, you don't have to, it was just a thought, and I guess I should have realized that it was a bit soon-"

"Spencer!" He was on the verge of a nervous ramble, but stopped in his tracks. "I'd love to." His smile was completely adorable, like a little kid who's about to ride their first roller coaster. It was a mix of pure happiness and excitement. "Wait, what about Sergio?" His smile faded for a moment.

"I almost forgot you had a cat..."

"I've got a neighbor who'll take him for the weekend," she said before thinking. He smiled. "But wait, my place is bigger." He chuckled.

"Yeah, but you don't have any decorations, do you?" She sighed.

"Okay. I... I guess I'll be there." Both were harboring a slight blush, but still walked to the elevator together.

"Hold the elevator," Hotch called. By force of habit, Spencer put his foot on the door track and waited for Hotch to join them. The ride down was silent. They made their way to the parking garage. Before parting ways, Hotch bid them good-bye.

"Have fun this weekend," he said with one of his rare smiles. Both of them instantly turned red, eyes getting wide. Without another word, he was gone.

"How did he...?" Emily was, for the second time that night, dumbfounded.

"Don't ask."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

_There is no feeling more comforting and consoling than knowing you are right next to the one you love._ -Author Unknown

Feeling a little breathless, Emily rushed home. As soon as she got there, she started to pack. First, she threw in three sets of clothes and two pairs of pajamas. Next came the toiletries. Her hair brush, toothbrush, toothpaste, and deodorant. After a second's thought, she added her shampoo and body wash. She cringed at the thought of what shampoo Spencer would have, and didn't want to run the risk of his preferred shower gel.

She also figured that things would get quiet and it might be beneficial for her to have something to do. So, she grabbed a book off her shelf. Last Sacrifice by Rachelle Mead. It was the only one in the Vampire Academy series she had yet to read, not having much time. Yes, she was a total dweeb in the way that she loved young adult fantasy novels.

Satisfied, Emily called for Sergio. The little black cat padded up a moment later, rubbing in between her legs. Smiling, she scooped him up and held him close. This made him start to purr loudly.

"Hey, boy," she coo'd. "We're going away for the weekend." He nuzzled her face in response. Smiling again, she put him in his kitty carrier, grabbed a box of food, and the on-the-go mini litter box with a small amount of Fresh Step litter. With all that set, they were ready to go.

On the way out, Emily ran into Mrs. Johnson, an elderly woman who lived a few doors down. It was perfect timing.

"Going somewhere, dear?" Emily smiled.

"Yes, ma'am, I am." Mrs. Johnson smiled.

"Family?"

"No." She studied Emily carefully.

"This is about a boy," the older woman purred. "Oh, don't tell me! This is about that Spencer fellow you talk about so often, isn't it." Emily was sure she turned bright red, giving Mrs. Johnson all the answers she need.

"Yeah," she said a bit reluctantly. "Would you mind taking Sergio for the weekend?"

"Of course, dear!" Emily handed over the kitty carrier and everything that she had for Sergio. "Have a good weekend, honey." With that, Mrs. Johnson walked away.

The drive to Spencer's apartment seemed to take longer than it really did. With every passing minute, the butterflies in her stomach seemed to get worse. Could she really do this? Spend a whole weekend with Spencer? Maybe she could bail... no, that would crush him. He was so worried about her rejecting him at the office. She wouldn't hurt him that way.  
>Finally, she pulled in the parking garage for his apartment building.<p>

"Let's get this over with," she sighed to herself as she got out. She felt kind of dumb walking through the building laden with so much stuff. A few people stopped her to ask if she was moving in, but she said each time that she was just spending Christmas with someone who lived there and continued on her way.

She was immensely relieved when she finally reached his apartment. He opened the door almost as soon as she knocked. His face was bright and alive as he ushered her in. The silence was a bit awkward.

"So... Why we go put your things down?" She nodded as he lead the way. He motioned to a space next to the couch. "It pulls out into a bed. Sorry about that."

"It's fine." More silence enveloped them. Finally, Spencer stood.

"Come on, let's go get started on the tree." She regarded him with a confused look. "You didn't think I'd let you miss out on the tree, did you?"

"Wasn't up when I was over here last night?" He smiled.

"It was."

"You took it down, just so I could help you put it back up?" Chuckling a little, Spencer hesitantly grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him. Emily didn't pull her hand away from his. She couldn't help but enjoy the moment. How long had she wanted something like this to happen?

They made it to the hall closet, it seemed, entirely too soon. He disappeared inside for a moment, but returned to hand her a box. She took that as a cue to head back to the living room. Footsteps behind her a few seconds later told her Spencer was coming too. How much could you really put on one tree, though?

That's when she noticed that the room was bare where decorations had sat the night before. He un-decorated his entire apartment? Just so she could help put everything back up? She couldn't suppress a smile. He really wanted her to have a good Christmas.

"Um... Emily, are you going to stand there and smile all day, or are you going to help?" His voice pulled her out of her little daydream bubble.  
>"Right," she said, setting the box at her feet. "Sorry about that."<p>

"It's fine. Now, let's start with the lights." She nodded and took the end of the strand of lights he was holding. Together, they wound the lights around the tree. When that was done, they began pulling ornaments out of the boxes. Some were the typical bulbs in varying colors and made of different materials. She picked up a red-tinted glass one that had a ball of tinsel inside. She looked at one curiously. From behind, Spencer chuckled.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing, really. Those one's used to be my favorite when I was little. We used to have twenty. Five red, five yellow, five green, and five blue. I dropped three of the green ones, two of the blue ones, and one yellow. Mom had an... episode and threw two of the red ones at Dad. We lost the rest of the blue, green, and one yellow. Now..." She could hear the smile on his voice. Carefully, she put it on the tree.

There were also some of the more decorative ones. Bells, Santa's, angel's. One was a pair of blue booties that said 'Baby's First Christmas.' She couldn't help but laugh at the fact that he still had it. Spencer rolled his eyes, but put it on the tree regardless.

Then she found the hand-made ornaments. The one's children made in pre-school/Elementary. A wreath with an adorable picture of little Spencer. A hand print in clay with his name underneath. A decorated tree made of felt and cloth paint. They also went on the tree.

After all the ornaments were in place, they hung candy canes. Followed by a thick layer of tinsel. Finally, Spencer pulled a chair in front of the tree and motioned for her to stand on it. She did and was handed a star. Smiling, she put it on and plugged it into the strand of lights. As she turned to get back down, the chair tipped. She would have taken a spill onto the floor, but Spencer go in the way.

She fell on him, dragging him down with her. His breath left in a huff, and it took him a second to be able to breath again. They laid there for a moment, recovering from the shock. When Emily went to push herself off, they locked eyes. Both froze in their tracks. Then, slowly, their lips met.

The kiss lasted a while. It was sweet and tender. When they broke apart, both were breathless. Then, they turned a bit pink. Emily quickly stood, offering a hand to Spencer. He took it gratefully, considering the fact that he wasn't sure if he could get up on his own. It was silent for a few long moments.

Then Spencer plugged the lights in. The tree lit up, dazzling and bright in the dim room. It was perfect! Spencer smiled, admiring their handy work. Without thinking, he put an arm over her shoulder and pulled her close. She leaned into him. She couldn't have been happier if she tried.

Of course, the moment was ruined when Emily's stomach growled. Loudly. After a second, Spencer laughed, making her face go red.

"I suppose I need to learn to feed my guests," he mused, taking her hand again to go to the kitchen.

"What's on the menu?" she asked.

"Fettuccine Alfredo." This surprised Emily. Then he produced a carry-out box from the fridge. She resisted the urge to laugh. He shoveled the contents onto a plate, along with two biscuits, and stuck it in the microwave. When it beeped, half of the food was transferred to a new plate. Forks and napkins were placed on the bar with the plates. He took the bar stool across from her.

"Bon appetit, mademoiselle," he said. Chuckling a little, she took a bite. It was delicious. They talked casually. He, surprisingly enough, didn't go on rambling about everything under the sun. It was just a normal conversation that anyone of average intelligence could follow.

After dinner, they sat on the couch, watching TV. ABC's 25 Days of Christmas was still going strong. The movie they'd been watching ended, cutting to commercial. Neither knew what to say. Finally, Spencer broke the silence.

"Emily, do... are you... you want to see how this relationship goes, right?"

"What?" She was confused.

"You want to see if we're... compatible in a relationship, right? I'm not just imagining that?" She laughed.

"Yes, Spencer, I do." He smiled.

"Well, then, you know you can sit closer, don't you?" She looked at the gap between them on the couch. A whole cushion divided them. Face, no doubt, turning bright red, she slid over. Slowly, as if he was unsure whether or not he should, he put his arm around Emily. Smiling, she leaned into the embrace.

The commercials were mind-numbing. She found herself distracted by Spencer. He stared contentedly at the screen. She'd never really given much thought to it, but she realized how cute he was. It was a nerdy cute, yes, but it worked for him. When she breathed in, she could smell his shampoo. It... it was... she couldn't quite place it.

"You smell good," she said before she could stop herself. Spencer looked at her a moment, highly amused, before laughing.

"Thanks. I guess the Axe is working, then." She stared at him, probably looking really dumb.

"You use Axe?" He nodded. "I never would have guessed."

"Yeah, I've had a lot of ladies at the check-out counter say that." Emily chuckled. He moved, reaching to the end table. When he moved back to his original position, he had a dish of peppermint candies. "Want one?" Smiling, she took one of the red and white disks.

That's about when the new show came back on.

"_You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen,_  
><em>Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen,<em>  
><em>but do you recall<em>  
><em>the most famous reindeer of them all?"<em>

Spencer was fumbling to get the remote. "No," she said. "It's fine. We can watch it." He studied her for a moment before shrugging and tossing the remote back on the end table.

_"And if you ever saw it,_  
><em>you would even say it glows.<em>  
><em>All of the other reindeer<em>  
><em>used to laugh and call him names.<em>  
><em>They never let poor Rudolph<em>  
><em>play in any reindeer games.<em>  
><em>Then one foggy Christmas Eve<em>  
><em>Santa came to say,<em>  
><em>'Rudolph with your nose so bright<em>  
><em>won't you guide my sleigh tonight?'<em>  
><em>Then how the reindeer loved him,<em>  
><em>as they shouted out with glee,<em>  
><em>'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,<em>  
><em>you'll go down in history!'"<em>

The show continued, and Emily found herself enjoying the moments spent. There seemed to be nothing that could ruin the perfect bubble she was in. After the show ended, right before Frosty the Snowman came on, Spencer made hot chocolate. It was delicious. It filled her with a happy, warm feeling. Everything was bright. Everything was wonderful. She loved Spencer, and he loved her. She found her faith in Christmas once more. It was a Christmas miracle.

* * *

><p>What did you think? So, "now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now Prancer and Vixen! On Comet! On Cupid! On, On Donner and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall! Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all! Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!" -A<p> 


End file.
